With an additional three million people descending on Washington, DC, for two separate rallies, one would’ve thought the National Mall would’ve been difficult to navigate yesterday afternoon. It wasn’t.
The Million American March Against Fear, sponsored by American Muslim Political action Committee, was only sparsely attended. With about two dozen people present, planners’ estimates fell short by about 999,976 attendees.
This observer heard only one speech, delivered by a bearded professorial type who asserted to his few listeners that The World Trade Center Towers could not have come down the way they did unless there were explosives planted within the buildings beforehand. As he left the stage, no one applauded.
Because the Washington DC government had been very slow to issue a permit, the Bikers’ event was almost invisible. By early afternoon, bikers were scattered all over the metro DC area, some riding along the National Mall and Arlington Cemetery, while the vast majority of the riders looped around the Washington Beltway, several miles outside downtown.
The quickly-arranged bikers’ event was meant as a protest against the Muslim rally.
This observer spoke to about a dozen bikers scattered along Independence and Constitution Avenues. Each one had a differing understanding about where they were supposed to be riding. No two riders seemed to have the same story. If the government was trying to diminish the impact of the riders’ presence in the DC area, they were successful.
Many of the bikers -- some who had come from as far away as Florida and Southern Texas -- took time to visit the war memorials along the Mall to honor those who had fallen while defending our nation.
Just a stone’s throw from the Million Muslim Rally Against Fear, Christian counter-protesters stood by, respectfully holding their banners and flags and speaking with any passerby who cared to stop and talk.
Stationed between the two groups were U.S. Park Police who perhaps outnumbered both the Muslim ralliers and the Christian counter-protesters. A lone media helicopter circled overhead, no doubt getting disappointing footage of a very small rally and absolutely no violence or strife from counter groups. Once again, Christians, just like Tea Partiers, have let down a disheartened mainstream media.